Can TikTok's "walking backward trend" really provide health benefits?

BOSTON - Influencers on TikTok are encouraging people to walk backwards to improve their physical and mental health. 

But is this just another scam? Maybe not.

We know that regular walking can reduce your cardiovascular risk, boost your mood, and even help you live longer. 

But some experts say walking backward can mix things up a bit and emphasize other parts of the body than traditional walking, like the quads, calves, ankles, and core muscles.  

Backward walking may also improve your balance and coordination.  

And because it requires additional focus, it can help engage your mind.  

Obviously, there can be some pitfalls.  

You don't want to bump into things you can't see or get dizzy and lose your balance.  

So choose an open area without obstacles, or use a treadmill, and go slow.

In:
• Health
• Exercise
• TikTok

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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